The Cambridge History of South African Literature

South Africa's unique history has produced literatures in many languages, in both oral and written forms, reflecting the diversity in the cultural histories and experiences of its people. The Cambridge History offers a comprehensive, multi-authored history of South African literature in all eleven official languages (and more minor ones) of the country, produced by a team of over forty international experts, including contributors from all of the major regions and language groups of South Africa. It will provide a complete portrait of South Africa's literary production, organized as a chronological history from the oral traditions existing before colonial settlement, to the post-apartheid revision of the past. In a field marked by controversy, this volume is more fully representative than any existing account of South Africa's literary history. It will make a unique contribution to Commonwealth, international and postcolonial studies and serve as a definitive reference work for decades to come. Read more Continue reading Read less REVIEW
"David Attwell and Derek Attridge have waded into these troubled waters as editors of the Cambridge History of South African Literature. Fully aware of the pitfalls lurking below the surface, they jettisoned the monological or monofocal approach used in the histories of Kannemeyer and Chapman to opt for a multi-authored dialogical approach. Forty-three researchers from all literatures in South Africa contributed to the publication. In this approach the editors heeded the Belgian comparative literary scholar Albert Gérard, who as early as 1975, in a paper read at the University of South Africa, advised that a comprehensive history of South African literatures should be undertaken by means of a multilingual team approach."
--LitNet

"...the identification of both the wellsprings and curvature of South African literature, likened to an archipelago--a constructed land or sea mass distinct in its unity and formation--make the collection a valuable resource."
--Choice

"The aim of The Cambridge History of South African Literature is to provide a comprehensive picture of South African literature from its beginnings to the present in all nine South African languages. To this end, the text is purposefully multilingual and multivoiced in its effort to create a common South African identity through the medium of literature. The uniqueness of the text lies in the breadth of the topics discussed by a wide range of scholars in the field."
--Research in African Literatures BOOK DESCRIPTION
A multi-authored history of South African literature in all eleven official languages of the country. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Attwell is Professor of English at the University of York.

Derek Attridge is Professor of English at the University of York. Read more Continue reading Read less